Amigos (Spanish and Portuguese for friends), is a term of endearment we use for people and comrades we know well and trust. Our Amigos pattern set contains many well designed and fun images depicting Mexican-themed people and concepts. Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, you'll find cowboys on their horses, mariachi performers with their musical instruments and maracas, colorful flamenco dancers and singers, iguanas, dancing chili peppers, some guy taking a siesta, and even a few cacti.

Gerard ter Borch - Dutch Genre Painter

Gerard ter Borch (1617 - 1681) was a Dutch Genre Painter who depicted life in middle class 17th century Holland. He was influenced early in his life by his father, also a painter. His works were both portraits and interior scenes. Some elements of his unique style include his handling of drapery and satins, and also painting a full body portrait, rather than just the face. The colors in his paintings are subdued, due largely to the dress coloring of the times. We've included numerous well known paintings in this pattern set including The Letter, The Concert, The Spinner, The Card Players, Boy Fleaing his Dog, Hunting for Lice, Woman Drinking with a Sleeping Solider, and The Glass of Lemonade. There's also a self-portrait included.

New York City's Metropolitan Museum has been iconic to the art world for decades, providing residents and tourists of New York unparalleled access to art and culture. It seems many individuals can't get enough of what the Metropolitan offers - this may be why officials have chosen to keep the museum open for visitors seven days a week.

The Metropolitan has traditionally been open to art lovers every day except Monday. The museum's director, Thomas Campbell, explained that the Met's hours are changing so that the museum will be "accessible whenever visitors have the urge to explore it."

In 2012 The Metropolitan welcomed 6.28 million visitors, which is a record. Due to the museum’s change in accessibility, 2013 will no doubt bring even more viewers to this incredible house of art. The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s new days and hours will take effect on July 1, 2013.

In 1990 an art theft took place at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Founded by Isabella Stewart Gardner, the Gardner Museum is a cultural landmark in Boston. The theft of 1990 remains the United States' costliest art heist in history. Details from the ordeal have finally been discovered by the FBI.

On March 18, 1990, thirteen paintings were taken from the art museum. "Storm on the Sea of Galilee" (Rembrandt) and "Chez Tortoni" (Edouard Manet) were among the fine art pieces stolen by two men posing as police officers. During the incident these men "overpowered" two security guards and bound them in the basement of the museum.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum art heist has been considered one of Boston's "long-running crime mysteries." Thanks to the dedication and perseverance of the FBI, details surrounding this situation will be released to the public soon.

1) What is New York City's largest art museum?

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Whitney Museum of American Art

Guggenheim Museum

American Folk Art Museum

2) Who painted the Sistine Chapel’s walls and ceiling?

Leonardo da Vinci

Michelangelo

Raphael

Andrea del Sarto

3) How old was Mozart when he wrote his first symphony?

16

12

8

21

4) What artist cut off his own ear?

Leonardo da Vinci

Vincent van Gogh

Edgar Degas

Claude Monet

5) What artist sculpted “The Thinker”?

Auguste Rodin

Honore Daumier

Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux

Frida Kahlo

Answer Key:

A

B

C

B

A

Gerard ter Borch's Art Elevated Him to Nobility

Gerard's father, Gerard ter Borch the Elder, was an excellent artist in his own right. Seeing that his son shared his talent and affinity for art, Ter Borch the Elder took it upon himself to mentor his son as an artist. (Art was a family affair. Gerard's sister was also a painter.) In 1632 the young Ter Borch was sent to Amsterdam to receive instruction from Pieter Codde or Willem Cornelisz.

Gerard ter Borch was chosen to be Pieter de Molyn's apprentice while in Haarlem in 1634. During this time the burgeoning artist was influenced by Frans Hals. Just one year later, at the age of eighteen, Ter Borch was accepted into the Haarlem St. Lukas Guild. This fact alone hints at the enormity of his talent, even as a young man.

During the early years of Gerard's career, he tended to paint subjects from everyday life, as well as entertainers and soldiers. His painting The Knifegrinder's Family is an example of the type of work he produced during the 1630s-50s.

Travel was a major part of Gerard ter Borch's life. In an age where travel did not come cheap or easy, Ter Borch managed to visit several countries and expand his mind, artistic skill, and worldview. England, Italy, Spain, and France were some of the countries he called home for short periods of time. While living in England Ter Borch's artistic style was impacted by Van Dyck.

Gerard ter Borch's technique blossomed during his visit to Italy. It was in Rome that the young man painted Jan Six and A Young Lady (these portraits were painted on copper). In 1648 he traveled to Münster, Germany, when the Spaniards and the Dutch were establishing a peace treaty. The meeting of congress that facilitated the peace treaty was the subject of Gerard's much loved oil on copper painting, The Treaty of Westphalia.

Gerard ter Borch's next destination would afford him the honor of a lifetime: Knighthood. While in Madrid Gerard was knighted by Philip IV. He was also given the opportunity to paint Phillip IV. Diego Velasquez, a Spanish artist, influenced Ter Borch's artistic growth while the Dutch painter lived in Spain. Despite the incredible favor that was shown to him, Ter Borch chose to leave Madrid for the Netherlands due to the "consequence of an intrigue."

The revered artist finally planted roots in Deventer in 1654. Ter Borch was an influential man in his new city, serving on the city council and continuing to create art. While living in Deventer he drastically changed the subjects of his artwork from common, everyday individuals to wealthy families. The Concert, Glass of Lemonade, and The Fatherly Admonition are perfect examples of Ter Borch's later works. They are "marked with restraint lyricism."

1681, the year of Gerard ter Borch's death, was a sad time for the art world. Ter Borch not only managed to create a pristine career, but he was also set apart as nobility as a result of his talent and excellence. Thus, humanity lost a treasure the day it lost Dutch painter Gerard ter Borch.

Even though there are near 80 works of art in Gerard ter Borch's collection, the number of paintings available to his fans today is considered small. His exclusive paintings are scattered across the world, housed at prestigious art galleries, including the Berlin Museum, the Dresden Museum, the Hermitage, the Louvre, the Getty Center, and the Wallace Collection. This is how individuals from all walks of life still enjoy Ter Borch's talent and legacy.

Art lovers travel the world each year in order to feast their eyes on the amazing early artwork of prehistoric man. The oldest European cave art possibly began to crop up about 40,800 years ago. The “youngest” artwork featured in European caves is estimated to be between 10,000 and 20,000 years old. The younger artwork can be found in caves located on the north coast of Spain.

Those who visit the caves that house early paintings are typically astounded at the artistic excellence of the prehistoric artists. The paintings in these Spanish caves are reported to be so detailed that they appear to have “a life of their own.”